Borders revamps website

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. Borders announced an all new Borders.com featuring discounts on the 100,000 bestselling titles, multiple free shipping options, new product lines, strategic partnerships that complement the Borders brand and a more integrated social media experience.

To celebrate the new Borders.com, the company said it is offering free shipping on all orders placed on Borders.com, Monday, Nov. 15.

"Ensuring a world-class online shopping experience is at the core of Borders' brand transformation strategy," said Mike Edwards, CEO of Borders Inc. "We've listened to our customers, discounted tens of thousands of our top online titles, rolled out new product lines and a streamlined, more social online experience. We have to challenge ourselves to keep offering the best customer experience both in store, and on the Web and these changes demonstrate once again that Borders can deliver on the best consumer experience."

Borders.com now features enhanced customer review capability is provided through a partnership with PowerReviews, the leading provider of social commerce solutions, including the customer review -- the number one social shopping tool for consumers, the company reported. The company reported that it is leveraging its loyalty program data base to invite customers to share product reviews with their friends and followers via Facebook, driving traffic to Borders.com. The company is also tapping its employee base of more than 19,000 associates to write staff reviews on Borders.com. Leveraging its cross-channel capabilities, Borders will feature select Borders.com reviews in Borders stores, giving in-store customers the benefit of being able to read reviews by other book lovers before they make a purchase.

Borders said it has made several changes specifically designed to improve the shopping experience. A partnership with ChoiceStream will enable relevant recommendations for new products that browsing customers might enjoy, and Borders will provide new lists of staff picks and books and products currently in the news. The title detail page for each book lists all the formats in which that book is available, and some books feature a Google Books "preview" that allows them to virtually flip through a few chapters. Further, a partnership with Endeca will deliver the most targeted and relevant content to each customer, based on their actions, as they search and browse the online store.